title: Apheresis of low molecular weight protein fraction and the onset of labor.
abstract: In our study, we subjected six (6) pregnant goats of known gestational age to whole blood ultrapheresis using an extracorporeal circuit. The serum fraction removed was replaced with equal volume of the same material prepared from non-gravid goats. The serum fraction removed was identified as to content of clinically measurable parameters and plotted as permeability coefficient compared with molecular weight. The goats were observed to enter the first stage of labor as a consequence of this form of apheresis and to deliver normal products of conception. No clinically significant deleterious effects on the goats were observed. There was no evidence of complement activation, nonspecific heparin effect, or endotoxin effect. We consider the possibility that soluble mediators of immune suppression may play a role in the maintenance of pregnancy and that the onset of the first stage of labor may be an immunologic event.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/oncology, John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, Indio, CA.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lentz
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Saltonstahl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001781:Blood Component Removal; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats; D007745:Labor Onset / Q000097:blood*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000097:blood*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D014462:Ultrafiltration
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins